Hollow
by Just a Tad Unhinged
Summary: She was just so tired of fighting... so very tired. Really she should just give up. It wasn't as if she mattered anymore. RiddickxOC. Sequel to Tag Along. Read that first.
1. Prologue: The Duo

**_Okay it's time to get started wouldn't you say… hopefully it won't take more than a year and a half to get this sequel to Tag-Along done… it shouldn't since I've been waiting for along time to do …let's get going._**

**Prologue: The Duo**

In the years after he left things changed. Hell, they changed in the MOMMENTS after he left. The day I woke up to find myself naked in a bed alone, my whole world turned upside down. I almost immediately began to try and drink myself to death and the better part of a year was spent wallowing in self-pity. I was afraid that if I went after him, he would end up back in prison and I would be to blame. I was still weak and I still cared and no matter how hard I drank or what man I slept with, I still ached. But then Jack went after him.

Jack, whom I'd had begun to consider my sister and, at times, my daughter, left me; she went and became a merc. After about six months of hating myself for letting the kid slip through my fingers, I felt the change roll over me. I became hollow, I no longer cared what happened to Riddick, he no longer mattered, what mattered was finding the kid and hiding out on some planet for the rest of my pitiable existence. So I got ready; I spent six months on Lupus 4 getting back in shape, keeping track of Jack through the local mercs.

Eventually I went after Jack. Unfortunately for us, the bastards recognized me. They knocked Jack out and cornered me and the minute the bastards touched me I cracked. We ran for as long as we could and then ended up here. In Crematoria. All by our lonesome, but it's not like I need Riddick, the prisoners here respect me and the one's who don't learned to real quick.

I'm tired of barely scrapping by on his reputation, of all the whore jokes I've had endure, all the guards I've had to maim to get the point across. I'm no one's fucking tag along. Not anymore. Me and Kyra don't need anyone's fucking charity. We're fine the way we are; partners-in-crime, deux femmes fatales. And anyone who thinks otherwise can go screw themselves.

_**How was that? I think I kind of like it… Anyways the next couple chapters will be in Riddick's point of view and the language will probably be pretty vulgar… I'm contemplating going M on this thing… well we'll see. Review!**_


	2. Chapter1: Solo

**_I'm sorry this has taken so long… I haven't been feeling well recently, school's been bogging down on me, I've written a good ten or twelve essays so I'm creatively pooped, my dad feels it necessary to harp at me about scholarships constantly, and I have theatre stuff that likes to consume whatever creativity I have left… so yeah I'm tired….I actually would really like to curl up in a corner for awhile but I feel guiltier than mess for not updating and my head is swimming with too many ideas… Maybe I can garner some modicum of catharsis from this chapter but I doubt it…. _**

**_By the way, I had an idea, when I was originally contemplating this story in general I had two ideas: this one and another which I wasn't sure I could pull off… I still have a soft spot for this other idea and would like to see it come to fruition… so the options are: 1) I can finish this story first then start the next as some kind of alternate reality or 2) I can make them one story in two parts showing two realities… which might get a bit confusing now that I think about it… since I could do it like Prologue A and B then Chapter one A and B… I'd like you guys to decide…_**

_**Let's get this aspirin dissolving so my headache will go away…**_

**Chapter One: Solo (… though you could consider it Prologue part dos)**

I expected them to come, though I didn't think it'd take them this long. I spent five years on that planet waiting, watching, preparing. I would just relocate, if I hadn't been caught off guard by the whereabouts of the 'anonymous' donor of the bounty on my head. I first placed the blame on Shay; if she really wanted me back badly enough I don't think she'd have a problem calling in a merc. It was dangerous sure but she was prone to being rash. The only problem is why did she wait? It took her five years to gather courage enough? Nah that's not like her and besides I didn't tell her where I'd be going for exactly that reason; so she couldn't come after me.

That left Jack and Imam; I didn't tell Jack and I doubt Imam told either of them, so Imam is left with the blame. The question is why? Is this what I get for saving his neck? I growl as I feel the cryo seep into my blood… I'm still not particularly tired… just calmer.

My mind swims… Shay… what will happen when I randomly show up at Imam's door? What is she doin'? Has she met…? I force that thought down. It didn't make a shit worth of sense to go and piss myself off about somethin' I expected… She deserves whatever she gets… that's why I left right? I tired hard to protect her but… Shit… Damn it. I knew this would happen… I spent five fucking years pushing this shit down… Just like her to… to make me think of her… always had to have it her fucking way.

Well if nothing else it'll be interestin' to see her again… and Jack too, I guess… wonder if she's still bald. I chuckle at this but my mind is still centered on Shay. I can admit it. I've missed her… I guess I got used to having her around… She kept me human. I wonder how nice time's been to her…

That causes unwanted thoughts to stir… the first coupla days on that fucking wasteland I couldn't stop them… and didn't want to… they kept me warm and sane… I bathed my mind with them… the mere thought of her body against mine was enough to stop the cold from biting my bones.

But about four years ago, I began to push those thoughts away… I was going insane. Every time I thought of her, I felt like fucking this whole plan and goin' back to New Mecca… and still know that I couldn't but the smallest things used to send me over the edge. With no one else around… all I had were my thoughts and _those_ memories…

Sometimes it was just something stupid… like when my body began to ache I used to remember the massages she used to give and that would get me started on _other_ things…

Other times it was the loneliness, I hadn't been that alone for so long… I feel my eyelids get heavy… finally… I drop off into sleep… _other_ things in my dreams.

_**How was that? Out of character I know… but I figure his thoughts aren't nearly as controlled as he'd like us to think… once again… I'd like to sincerely apologize for taking so long… and you may thank the most recent reviewers and Metallica for re-inspiring me!**_

**_I don't feel like editing right now... so if you see any mistakes be sure to tell me in your review!!_**


	3. Chapter2: Group

**_Sorry it's taken so long… I've been in one of those lazy slumps and every time I've been inspired I couldn't find my CoR DVD… I know I suck… today is the 17th of January, I will try to have another chapter out by if not before February 17th … depending on if I get the job I want… _**

**_Chapter 2: Group_**

Imam opened the door, a feeling of dread; no anticipation, niggling at the back of his neck. He could feel it the air; he started up the stairs but stopped when the whiskey voice of the man he both feared and trusted, spoke rather unexpectedly.

"Did you know both of your doors were locked," boomed through the silence of his foyer, followed by the sound of a blade on human skin and a soft wisp of human hair falling to the ground. He banged the shiv against the brass bowl in front of him, "Five years ago, I took three people off that planet: a woman named Shay, a convict like me… a convict because of me, a kid named Jack, whom everyone else thought was a boy, and a holy man searching for New Mecca." Riddick turned to face him, "I told one man where I might go, I showed trust to one man. Did I make a mistake Imam?"

"There is no simple answer-," he started but Riddick pulled a shiv to his throat, "Whatever was said was meant to give us a chance; a fighting chance! Were it not for the threat of invasion I never would have betrayed you! I give you my word Riddick."

The soft trill of his wife's voice as she spoke Riddick's name startled him and he panicked when Riddick spotted his daughter. He watched as the big man crept to the stairs, spanning the whole width of the stair case with massive arms.

"And a daughter, whose name would be?"

"If you have issues with me let it be with me, you need not know their names!" his heart froze when his little girl spoke.

"Ziza."

Riddick rumbled after her, "Ziza.." he turned back to Imam, "Cute kid."

The child's voice broke the tension again and Riddick turned back to her, "Did you really kill monsters; the ones who were going to hurt my father?"

Riddick turned back to Imam and raised a brow in question; Imam shrugged helplessly, "Such are our bedtime stories…" He sighed mentally as his wife led the young girl away.

Riddick leaned forward, "So now who do I have to kill to get this payday off my head?"

----

Later when they were alone, held up in one of the many rooms in Imam's home, Riddick studied the older man. He couldn't help but notice the grave anticipation in his eyes; the tenseness in his posture. He stood facing the night sky; Riddick looked over the man's shoulder and followed the ball of light as it made its made across the sky.

"It is said that the comet always precedes them; these world-enders. The Colvesac planets are gone; 8 million settlers missing. The entire Ackroid system is gone too. My God how do I save my family?" He turned towards Riddick and his brow furrowed, "Have you heard anything I have said?"

"You said it's all circling the drain; the whole universe, right?"

Imam sighed, "That's right."

He closed the door through which Ziza had been peeking at him, "Had to end sometime…"

Riddick heard a knock on the door downstairs and within a few minutes, Imam admitted three robed men into their room, "The one you want is now here."

Riddick stood up and tore the mask off the man closet to him, the other two took their masks off themselves. And then he heard it; a whisper. The lights flickered and her put his shiv out and caught a woman in white robes as she materialized beside him, "And whose throat is this?"

The woman hardly batted an eyelash, "If you cut my throat, I won't be able to rescind the offer that brought you here, or tell you why it's so vital that you did come."

Riddick scowled, "The blade comes off when the bounty comes off."

Imam spoke up, "This is Aereon, an envoy from the Elemental race. She means you no harm." He grabbed Riddick's arm and Riddick turned away from her.

At that moment the woman dissolved and appeared on his other side, "There are few of us who have met a Necromonger and lived to speak of it. So when I choose to speak of it, you should choose to listen."

Riddick took a few steps toward her, "Necromonger…"

"It is the name that will convert or kill every last human life, unless Furyan warriors are found. They were the one race that would not bow; the only race the Necromongers still fear."

"Maybe you should pretend like you're talking to someone educated in the penal system; in fact, don't pretend."

It was Imam who spoke next: "There is a story Riddick, of young male Furyans, strangled at birth, strangled with their own cords. When Aereon told this story to the Helion leaders, I told her of you."

"What do you know of your earlier years?" this time it was one of the robed men to his side.

"Do you remember your home world? Were it was?" Imam took a few steps forward.

"Have met any other?" the same robed man.

"Others like yourself." Aereon elaborated.

Riddick found this ironic, "Sister, they don't know what to do with just one of me." He turned to face her.

"Spoken like a true Furyan." She smirked.

;I don't care where I'm from; I want the bounty off my head."

Loud knocking came from downstairs followed shortly by Lajun's hurried entrance, "They are searching houses! They are looking for a man who came here today; they think he might be a spy!"

Imam jumped forward, "A spy?"

"Did some one see him come here today? Did they?"

"Lajun stop!" Imam turned back to Riddick, "I will send them away, but wait one minute please. Will you wait one minute to save worlds?"

Riddick advanced on him, "It's not my fight." He turned back toward the window and prepared to jump into the streets.

"So you will leave us to our fate? Just like you did her?" Riddick paused and Imam ushered the robed men out, "Come, let us send them away."

Riddick watched as they defended him and were pulled bodily out of the house. He walked around the room extinguishing candles as soldiers thundered up the stairs, he waited until they entered and with, "You're not afraid of the dark are you? The light hurts my eyes," snuffed out the candles and each soldier that entered the room.

He walked out of the room through a hole in the door (created by the body of one of the fallen soldiers and stared down the man holding a blade to Imam's neck. The man dropped the blade and backed up. Paused at the top of the stairs, he addressed an issue that had been in the back of his mind. "You mentioned 'her'… Which 'her' were you referring to?"

"Either one…" Imam swallowed, "Jack went looking for you and about a six months later Shay followed; people died, they both went to prison. I'm not sure where; it was a world so hot, you couldn't set foot on the surface."

"Crematoria…"

"Young Jack, She thought of you as her older brother; she worshipped you!"

"You were supposed to watch them both…" Riddick rumbled as he walked passed Imam.

"They never forgave you for leaving just when they needed you most. Shay especially, I have never seen such a vibrant woman look so lost and broken. I doubt you will receive a warm welcome."

"They needed to stay away from me, you all do. And I wasn't expecting one."

**_How was that? Not in Riddick's pov but I like it anyway. Next chapter will hopefully be up around Feb. 17th and might be in Riddick's pov._**


	4. Chapter3: Blood

**_I'm sorry guys…. My excuse this time: I broke my wrist, I had a HUGE paper due, a play "Midsummer's Night Dream" (I was technical director so I was stressing out mundo much,) Another play in a couple weeks and I'm co-assistant director of this, I felt plain shitty, prom, and I got a job._**

**_Here I am drowning my sorrows in apple juice and oldies… and Moulin Rouge…and chocolate… yeah … and Pink… I've been listening to a lot of Pink lately… a lot of "U + Ur Hand"… probably trying to compensate for my recent severe lack in sass… blegh._**

**_Here we go…_**

**Chapter 3: Blood**

He ran; the staccato thump, thump, thump of boots hitting roof after roof, beating in time with his heart. He paused and looked over head as a Necro ship sailed through the air, the smaller Mecca ships zooming around it. His mind was racing; trying to sort through the sudden influx of information: Imam, Jack, Shay, Necromongers, Crematoria…Shay… He had made jokes about his education, but he wasn't stupid, nor had he ever really been accused of being such. People were scared; so scared in fact that the great Elementals had finally pulled their heads out of the asses and came out of their libraries to beg for help; to beg for help from the dregs of society, a lowly convict, 'on behalf of the universe'. If danger wasn't practically humming in the air around him he would have laughed.

What had the universe ever done for him besides chase him down, lock him up, and destroy every chance at happiness he had ever had? Shay… They took her and threw her inside a cage and for what? For getting involved with the wrong person, for protecting herself and her charge… for trying to survive. They expected him to try to take down a whole army in defense of a world that despised him; to kill himself for people who would sneer and spit on his grave for failing to protect them.

He hit the ground and waded through the crowd, noticing morbidly that the street around them was strewn with parts of dead bodies. He suddenly imagined a dirty, bloodied Ziza kneeling next to the crumpled bodies of her parents. Another flash of fire or weaponry and he saw Shay with one of the Necro spears through her shoulder pinned to wall a foot above ground with a bruised and bloodied Jack at her feet.

He shook himself free of his delusion and took a quick turn into an alley. He climbed up a fallen column and watched in gruesome amazement as a Necro ship started to board the planet. He pulled his goggles off of his eyes and stared as the ship lit up like some horrible parody of a Christmas tree and the Necro fighter jets pealed themselves off the mother ship.

He turned around and waded back through the thinning crowd, until he saw Imam hanging out of a narrow alley staring at a New Meccan fire squad facing down an advancing Necro troupe. He reached out and pulled the Chrislam behind a column.

They watched in silence as the New Meccan squad slowly gained an upper hand over the Necros. The last Necro plunged a staff into the ground before being hit with a pulse rifle. As he fell dead, a strange blue light hovered out of the open head of the staff.

"Lajun and Ziza!" Imam made a move towards the opposite side of the alley but Riddick threw an arm in front of him and pushed him back up against the wall.

"When it's over." He rumbled.

"Let me go! I must get to my family."

Riddick turned to Imam and said more forcefully, "When it's over."

Suddenly the New Meccan squad was surrounded by thousands of Necros. There was a blast that caused the ratty curtains hiding them from view to flare up around them. When the dust and debris settled, all the New Meccans were dead, the Necromongers stomped off and unfazed, Riddick muttered, "Let's get your family."

He led them swiftly through the streets in search of a safe hiding place; they stopped in a small alleyway when they heard the heavy breathing of a Necro scouter. Riddick hid himself in a doorway on the opposite side of the alley from Imam. A small brigade of Necro soldiers led by the scouter quickly flooded the alleyway and began to search the dead bodies around them for survivors.

When all the bodies had been combed through, scouter slowly made his way around the alleyway. Imam held his breath as the scouter slowly crept toward them. When he realized that the scouter had discovered himself and his family, he made a last ditch attempt to save his wife and daughter by revealing himself with a flourish and fleeing. The Necro brigade followed leaving his family and the scouter behind.

The scouter watched the troops storm off and then focused his attention of Lajun and Ziza once more, only to have head violently turned toward a very angry Furyan. Unfortunately his body did not follow.

Riddick let the small demented creature fall to the ground before rushing after Imam. After a lengthy search, He found the Necro troop again as well as a trail of blood that led over the rail of bridge, under which laid Imam's broken body. Looking down he saw Imam's crescent pendant. His hand shook as he placed the trinket into his pocket and mentally filed the big, blood-stained Necro under "to be dealt with later."

**_I'm really sorry it's so short but I feel horrible so I decided to post it now that way I can explore my ideas for the next couple chapters more thoroughly. Okay… Again don't hate me if you're an older reviewer and if you're a new reviewer… well… don't hate me…. Yep that's about it REVIEW!_**


	5. Chapter4:Suspicion

_**I'm not going to even bother making excuses this time… I just lacked inspiration… Here ya'll go!**_

**Chapter 4: Suspicion **

** Shay's POV **

I run a hand over my forehead catching most of the sweat before it stings my eyes and sigh. The urge for nicotine has never been as strong as it is now. My cravings for alcohol died away about two months after my incarceration. But unlike alcohol, which is impossible to get unless you somehow find your way into the guards' quarters, cigs are relatively easy to get a hold of. Unfortunately, no one new has been brought in about a month or too, and the cancer sticks I managed to intimidate out of the last dumb bastard to end up here, didn't last too long.

I find myself sighing again, and it occurs to me that I've been doing more of that lately. I give a dry chuckle when I hear something slip behind me.

"What's so funny?" Jack… no Kyra, I still have to remind myself sometimes, whispers as she steps up to me.

"Just noticed something about myself…"

"You wouldn't think that after thirty years of life and living with yourself, you would still be finding out new stuff about yourself."

I turn my head towards her and glare at her, before facing forward again.

"Careful whelp, you're showing your age and mine."

"I thought you are only as old as you feel." Jack smirks at me.

"This is very true, and as I still feel all young and sprightly, I guess I don't have to worry, eh?" I smirk back at her, while rotating my shoulder. I make my way toward a boulder behind us and seat myself. Kyra lowers herself to the ground beside me.

"Young and sprightly?"

"Yep, and of course I'm always finding out new things about myself. What else do I have to do, but sit around and think? Only the young live their lives assuming they know what they want."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes," I pause and look toward Kyra, who in all actuality is still Jack to me, despite the events of the past five years, "Sometimes what you think you want and what you really want are two different things."

"You sound like you're speaking from personal experience."

"I am and you know it."

"Why have you never told me what happened between you and Riddick? I mean it's been five years since he left."

"He left us to fend for ourselves. That's all that happened." My blood runs cold like it does every time she mentions him; she doesn't hate him like I do. It's funny, it's like a child asking their single mother who their daddy is; unrepentant and unrelenting. You feel bad for not answering, but answering gouges another even bigger hole in your gut.

"But-"

"That's all that happened."

"Okay then, new question. What would you do if Riddick showed up?"

"Barf."

"I'm being serious, Shay."

"So am I. I would literally get sick, all over him… and I would cherish every moment." We hear some fight break out below us. I get up and walk over to the bars that separate our cell and the drop off into the cavern that makes up Crematoria. "Sounds like some fun might be going on down there."

"I doubt it." Kyra gets up and turns to leave, "Might as well go check it out, got nothing better to do."

"Kyra?" I call over my shoulder, no turning around, her footsteps stop so I continue, "I don't know what I would do, but luckily I doubt we'll ever see him again."

"He'll come back… he came back before."

I hear her footsteps get fainter and fainter as she walks away and I whisper, "Fry forced him last time, who's there to play his conscience now?"

I sigh again and watch as the fight begins to involve more and more prisoners. The guards are beginning to notice, better make myself scarce; they'll find some way to blame me for this. On my way out I run into Red.

"'Sup?" I tip my head towards him.

"'Ello Chief. I got some info for you." Chief... what an annoying nickname.

"Please, continue."

"We got fresh meat coming in."

"Really? Got any specs on the lucky bastard?"

"Just that there's a major ass bounty on their head and they're in for murder." Riddick… shit.

"Well that narrows it down, now doesn't it? Do we know when he's supposed to come in?"

"He?"

"How many female murderers with major ass bounties on their heads do you know?"

"You."

"My bounty wasn't that big…"

"Big enough. I'm assuming you know who it is." He raised a red eyebrow at me.

"I might."

"You might… you going to tell me?"

"Do I ever?"

"No."

He walks away, content in just knowing that I have an idea. His blind faith in me is disconcerting, it reminds me too much of the blind faith I had once placed in Riddick's hands. Riddick... I could lie to you and say I don't miss him, but I won't. I think it's rather obvious that I think about him daily, and sometimes my thoughts wonder in a way that makes me think I might not hate him as much as I would wish too. It's sad really, it's like I'm a little girl again, back in highschool crushing on the star quarterback; willing to forgive all of his little indiscretions as long as I'm still allowed to follow in his shadow. I don't know what I'll do if this new prisoner is Riddick, which it likely is. I supposed I'll just have to be careful around him, I can't afford to let my guard down again. My heart never recovered from the last time.

_**Okay here it is guys... hopefully next chapter will be up soon.**_


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